Traction-wheel.



D. L. BROWNFIELD. TRACTION WHEEL APPLIOATION 1-11.31: JULY 1?, 190a.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

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I Alfoi'lley WITNESSES UNITED STATES 1 m orrron DANIEL L. BROWNFIELD, OFFARMER, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR 01* ONE-THIRD TO JOEL BROWNFIELD, ANDONE-THIRD TO ROBERT BROWNFIELD, BOTH OF FARMER, WASH- INGTON.

TRACTION-WHEEL.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 444,008.

To a llwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL L. BROWN- FIELD, citizen of the UnitedStates, residin at Farmer, in the county of Douglas and State ofWashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction- Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traction-wheels,

4; and has for its object to provide such a wheel with radially movablecalks or mud-hooks together with improved means whereby they may beoperated without stopping the machine, and to keep the wheel fromslipping in soft ground.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel,partly in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view. Figs. 3, 4 and5 are details.

Referring specifically to the drawing 7 denotes the rim of the wheel,and 8 the hub. The spokes (not shown) may be connected to hub and rim inany suitable manner. The hub is ke ed to the axle 9 as shown in Fig. 2.

'1 he bearings for the axles are indicated at 10.

On the rim 7 are mounted radially movable calks or mud hooks which areadapted to be projected from the rim edgewise or retracted as occasionmay require. The calks are blades 11 which work in openings in the rim 7and between guides 12 secured to the inner surface of the latter. Theinner ends of the blades are connected by rods 13 to col lars 14 and 15respectively on a sleeve 16 which is rotatably mounted on the hub 8,

the connection being such that when the sleeve is rotated in onedirection the blades will be advanced and when rotated in the oppositedirection they will be retracted. The blades are set at an angle to theface of the rim, and consequently the inner ends of one of the rods 13is set a little in advance of the other.

To operate the sleeve for advancing or re tarding the blades 11 asstated steam-power is employed. This operating mechanism comprises apair of steam-cylinders 17 pis tons 18 working therein, piston-rods 19,cross-heads 20, and connecting rods 21 secured at their outer ends tothe sleeve. The steam-cylinders are mounted by means of suitablebrackets on the rim 7 at diametrically opposite points. Two engines arepreferably employed in order that the balance of the wheel may not bedestroyed. At each end of the cylinder are collars 22 for limiting thetravel of the pistons.

The cylinders 17 are supplied with steam by pipes 23 and 24 respectivelyentering at opposite ends. The pipes 23 of the respective cylinders leadfrom a pipe 25 and the pipes 24 from a pipe 26. The pipes 25 and 26connect with steam-passages 27 and 28 respectively in the axle 9. Saidpassages open into one end of the axle on which end is screwed orotherwise rigidly secured a cap 29. The outer end of the cap is reducedin diameter as indicated at 30 and has an opening through which acylinder 31 enters the cap. The opening is so located that the cylinderis in axial alinement with the axle 9. The inner end of the cylinder isopen and its outer end is closed by a cap 32 having an opening throughwhich a pipe 33 enters. Said. pipe extends through the cylinder spacedfrom the inside thereof, and through the cap, and is fitted at its innerend with a disk 34 which seats in a recess 35 made in the end of theaxle with which recess the steampassage 28 communicates so that thesteam carried by the pipe 33 may enter said passage. The periphery ofthe disk 34 is litted with a packing ring 36. That portion of thecylinder 31 which is located in the reduced portion 30 of the cap 29 isalso provided with a disk 37 which fits snugly therein and has packingrings in its periphery.

The pipe 33 is secured to the cap 32 of the cylinder 31 by a lock-nut38. A pipe 39 connects with the cylinder 31 on one side thereof. Thepipes 33 and 39 lead to a suitable valve mechanism 10 for controllingthe admission and exhaust of steam in the cylinders 17. A supply pipeleads from the valve to the boiler or other source of power.

By the construction herein described steam from the pipe 33 is preventedfrom entering the steam-passage 27 and. steam from the pipe 39 is shutoff from the passage 28, and at the same time the axle is free torotate.

\Vith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 the pipe 39 is theadmission pipe and the pipe 33 the exhaust pipe. Steam enters thepassage 27 and is carried to the cylinders 17 by the pipes 25 and 23.The exhaust is by the pipes 24 and 26, the passsge 2S, and the pipe 33.Steam now enters behind the pistons 18 to advance the same whereby thesleeve 16 is rotated in a direction to advance the blades 11. When theposition of the valve 40 is reversed, the travel of steam is reversedand steam enters in front of the pistons, whereby they are movedrearwardly and the sleeve is then rotated in a direction to retract theblades.

For holding the blades in set position the following mechanism isemployed: On each side of the hub is a lug 41- in'vvhich is mounted ashaft 42 which turns therein. Keyed to this shaft are dogs-43 whichengageratchet teeth 44 on one side of the collars 14. The dogs areconnected by a rod 45 on which are clamps 46 to which are hooked orotherwise secured branches 47 of a fork connected by a rod 48 to across-head 49 which is operated by the rod 50 of a piston 51. working inacylinder 52 mounted on one of the cylinders 17. Steam is supplied tothe cylinder 52 by a branch pipe 53 from the pipe 26. In the cylinder 52is an exhaust opening 54. The dogs are held in operative position bymeans of a spring 55 which may be fastened to one of the spokes of thewheel. When the sleeve 1-6 is rotated in a direction to advance theblades 11 the dogs 43 slip over the ratchet teeth 44% and they prevent aretrogressionof the blades, and when the sleeve is rotated in theopposite direction to retract the blades, the dogs are first releasedfrom the ratchets. Inasmuch as the pipes which convey steam to thecylinders 17 for the retraction of the lades also convey steam to thecylinder 51, the dogs will be released at the proper time.

I have herein described steam as the motive fluid, but it will beunderstood that air, or any other fluid under pressure may be employed.

'lhe blades 1 1 are more particularly adapted for soft ground. On hard,rocky ground spikes may be substituted. 1 The mechanism can be operatedwithout stopping the travel of the machine. 1' I claim: l 1. Thecombination with a traction-wheel I having radially movable calks, of asleeve rotatably mounted on the hub-of the wheel, a connection betweenthe sleeve and the calks, l

and a. motor operatively connected to the sleeve.

2. The combination with a tractionewheel having radially movable calks,of a sleeve rotatably mounted on the hub of the wheel, a connectionbetween the sleeve and the calks, a motor operatively connected to the.sleeve, a ratchet on the sleeve, and a dog cooperating therewith forholding the calks in adjusted position.

3. The combination with a traction-wheel having radially movablec.alks,.of a sleevetrotatably mounted on theliub of the wheel, aconnection between the sleeve and the-calks, a motor operativelyconnected to the sleeve, a ratchet on the sleeve, a dog cooperating withthe ratchet for holding the calks in: adjusted position, and a motoroperatively connected to-the dog.

4. The combination with a traction wheol having radially movable calks,of an axle having passages for a. motive-fluid, amotor operativelyconnected to the calks, supplypipes from the passages in the axle to themotor and means for separately conveying the motive fluid to thepassages.

5. The'combination with a traction-wheel having. radially movable calks,of an axle having passages for a motive-fluid, a motor operativelyconnected to the calks, supplypipes from the passages in the axle to themotor, a cap on the axle over the entranceof the passages, a cylinderentering the cap, the inner end of the cylinder being open and its outerend closed, a supply-pipe passing through the cylinder and spaced fromthe inside thereof, and connecting with one of the passages in the axle,a supply-pipe connected to the cylinder and connectedthroughsaid-cylinder. and the-cap'with the other pass sage, and avalve-mechanism governing the flow in. said pipes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of. tWowitnesses.

DANIEL L. BRO d- NFIELD. Witnesses:

L. A. WEsToN, ROBERT WHEELER.

